Winter Adventures with Your Powder Hound
Steamboat Springs, Colorado – known for its champagne powder® – is not only a winter playground for people – it’s great for four-legged powder hounds as well. From skiing to snowshoeing to hiking to fat biking to everyday trips to the dog park, there are plenty of wintertime adventures to enjoy with your pup.
Paws ‘n Claws, known for being the experts in “all things pet” at their Central Park Plaza location, shares some wintertime tips to make adventures with your powder hound enjoyable for all.
A powder-pup day in Steamboat! Watching your dog bound through fresh powder brings so much joy to all!
“Watching your dog bound through light and fluffy champagne powder® is one of the many joys that winter in Steamboat brings,” says co-owner Erin Campbell. However, while colder winter temperatures negate the overheating concern that summertime brings, they do bring other challenges to consider. “Before setting out on a big adventure, assess your furry friend’s cold tolerance,” explains Erin. “While some dogs have impressively thick fur coats that provide them with excellent wintertime insulation, others have hardly any insulation at all. Winter jackets and coats for canines are a great option to help insulate your not-so-furry friends, and come in a variety of fabrics, weights and sizes to keep your pup comfortable.” Providing them with warmth is certainly key, but so too is making sure you are aware of potential dangers and well-equipped to handle those scenarios.
Winter “pup-ventures” are “snow” much fun and can make for some of the best memories of the year!
While winter adventuring with your pup, make sure to keep tabs on their warmth level. Should you notice strong shivering followed by no shivering, lethargy or weakness or fur and skin that are cold to the touch, you will want to take quick action to warm your pup up. Getting your dog indoors as quickly as possible is the best option, however, there are preventable strategies to use while on longer wintertime adventures as well. “Consider bringing an extra coat for added warmth, high-energy snacks and a mat you can place your dog on to get them off the snow and ideally out of any cold wind,” advises Erin. “Also, make sure to check for signs of frostbite that most often affect a dog’s ears, nose or tail, and warm them up in your hands if needed.” Interestingly enough, canine paws have a unique blood circulation system – similar to those of wolves and arctic foxes – that allow them to stand in freezing snow without reducing their core body temperature. Even though your pup’s paws are naturally equipped to handle freezing temps, they may need added protection based on your winter activity of choice.
“Winter jackets and coats for canines are a great option to help insulate your not-so-furry friends, and come in a variety of fabrics, weights, and sizes to keep your pup comfortable,” says Erin.
If backcountry or Nordic skiing is your wintertime activity of choice with your pup, be prepared for any potential foot injuries or lacerations that can happen due to your sharp ski edges. Having a doggie first aid kit on hand is key and consider outfitting your pup in dog booties for added protection. “While injury can happen,” says co-owner Eli Campbell, “often dogs on these longer winter adventures will build up snow in their paws, so make sure to apply a canine foot salve like Musher’s Secret to repel the snow and keep your pup’s paws happy.”
Musher’s Secret is a great foot salve for dogs that helps to repel the snow and protect their paws. Skout’s Honor and Kin + Kind offer some great options as well!
Lastly, being well-prepared for adventures in the snow can be extremely beneficial should the worst-case scenario occur. “If your furry friend becomes injured or unable to walk, having a harness can be quite helpful should you need to carry them back to the trailhead,” explains Eli. “A harness on your dog is also a good anchor point should you need to pull them out of deep snow or a precarious situation – just make sure to have a leash on hand as well.”
A dog harness can be extremely useful should you need to carry your four-legged friends back to the trailhead or even pull them out of deep snow.
“Winter adventures with your pup can certainly create some of your best memories of the year as long as you make sure to set yourself and your furry friend up for success,” says Eli. “Keeping your dog warm, energized with the right nutrition and hydrated are basic yet essential steps to take when venturing outdoors with your powder hound in the colder months.” And beyond the basic yet essential steps, Eli, Erin and their team at Paws ‘n Claws are ready with expertise and gear to make sure you are well-equipped to handle any scenario that a winter “pup-venture” may bring.
